Christmas tree stand



y 965 A. J. OSINSKI 3,185,416.

CHRISTMAS TREE STAND Filed D96- 26, 1963 Fig. 3

j Alex J. Osibskii v INVENIOR.

,1 28\ 26 2 /6 BY Mn- 1 I 6. r ,1 I M #1.

United States Patent 3,185,416 CHRISTMAS TREE STAND Alex J. Osinski, 446Gifford St., Syracuse, NY. Filed Dec. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 333,419 4Claims. (Cl. 248-44) The present invention relates to an improvedChristmas tree stand, more particularly, to a portable knockdown standwhich is structurally designed and functionally adapted to reliablyelevate and support a Christmas tree indoors or outdoors as may bedesired.

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the invention two cooperatingunits are employed; one of which is a base unitwhich rests upon thefloor, ground or other stationary foundation. This base unit functionsto properly position and securely support a second unit, a complementalL-shaped bracket. This bracket has vertical and horizontal limbs and thehorizontal limb is provided with a socket member the socket of whichreceives and supports the lower end of the tree trunk.

More specifically the base unit is made up of interconnected rigidcomponent parts and is substantially U-shaped in plan. The U-shapedconstruction is achieved by joining corresponding end portions of a pairof rigid channel members by way of an angle iron. This is to say, likeends of the channel members abut and are fixedly joined to a verticalflange of the angle iron in properly coordinated relationship to providea self-standing base.

The construction also features the aforementioned L- shaped unit orbracket which is made up of fixedly joined channel-shaped members whichare at right angles to each other and providethe desired long and shortarms of the L. The free end' of the horizontal longer arm, the elevatedarm when it is being used, is provided with an upstanding socket memberwhich in turn is provided with setscrews whereby to provide a receiverand holder for the trunk of the Christmas tree.

To the ends desired the vertical part of the L-shaped bracket isremovably bolted at a lower end thereof to 'a median portion of theangle member of the aforementioned base unit. Thus the two units can bereadily assembly for cooperative association when being used anddismantled when not being used.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of a Christmas tree stand and holderconstructed in accordance with the present invention and showing how itis constructed and used;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the structure illustrated in FIGURE 1with the tree removed; and

FIGURE 3 is an end elevation observing the stand in a direction fromleft to right; that is, as presented in FIGS. 1 and 2.

With reference now to the views of the drawing and particularly to FIG.1 the base unit is denoted by the numeral 6, the companion stand unit bythe numeral 8 and the complemental holder by the numeral 10. The unit 6,being generally U-shaped in plan, is characterized by a pair of coplanararms having corresponding ends joined by a rigid bight portion. Morespecifically each arm comprises an elongated inverted channel-shapedmember or rail 12. Like or corresponding ends 14 are integrally joinedto the vertical flange 16 of an arm connecting angle iron whosehorizontal flange is denoted at 18 and which is flush-with the bottomside of the channel members 12.

Patented May 25, 1965 "ice The L-shaped bracket or stand 8 comprises avertical relatively short limb and a horizontal complemental limb, thefirst limb being a suitable channel member, as at 20 and having itslower end seated between a pair of suitable spaced parallel cleats 22which are fixed to the outward side of the flange 16. This flange isprovided with a bolt hole to accommodate the headed end 24 of anassembling and retaining bolt whose threaded end 26 passes through ahole provided therefor in the lower part of the web of the channelmember 20 where it is then provided with an accessible nut 18 whichseparably bolts the leg or limb 20 to the flange 16. The horizontal legor limb 30 is also in the form of a channel and is of suitable lengthand it is on the free righthand end portion (right in the illustrationsin the drawings) that the tree holding means is provided. This meanscomprises a simple sleeve which is fixed atop the web of the limb 30 andserves to provide a socket member 32 into which the trunk of the tree 34is removably fitted and held in place by setscrews 36. The setscrews arearranged circumferentially and also vertically so as to provide asatisfactory manner of anchoring the portion of the trunk which extendsinto the socket of the socket member 32. The socket member 32 ispreferably fixed at its lower end atop the web of the horizontal channelor limb 30. For greater strength and durability rigid gusset-like webs34 are provided and have their cooperating portions secured to theintended flanges of the channel members 20 and 30 in the mannerillustrated in FIG. 1, whereby to thus provide a reliable jointingconnection between the parts.

It will be evident that the simple reliable holder 10 is a componentpart of the bodily attachable and detachable L-shaped unit or bracket 8and that the bracket unit 8 is simply and reliably and removably mountedin a properly balanced manner on a median portion of the angle bar ormember of the U-shaped base member 8. It follows that the two units 6and 8 can be expeditiously and economically produced whereby to thusprovide a simple knockdown stand. The units or parts can be packaged andretailed in ready-to-assemble form. The user need not be skilled athandling tools because obviously the construction and arrangement ofparts is so clearly understandable that the purchaser should have notrouble in initially erecting the stand and subsequently dismantling itfor compact and convenient storage requirements.

It is clear that the bracket means 8 is in proper pro portion and is sooriented in relation to the base that when the units 6 and S areassembled as illustrated in FIG. 1 the desired balanced tree stand isprovided. It will be further understood that the socket member lendsitself to use not only in accommodating the stump at the bottom of atree trunk but can be equally well used as elevating and support meansfor a flag pole, post, antenna standard or the like. Accordingly, theinvention as herein shown and described fulfills the purposes for whichit is intended in a highly satisfactory manner.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A portable knockdown stand adapted to support the trunk of aChristmas tree in a position elevated vertically above the plane of afloor or equivalent stationary foundation comprising, in combination, aportable horizontally elongated self-standing base unit substantiallyU-shaped in plan and embodying a bight portion connecting a pair ofspaced parallel duplicate elongated arms, said bight portion and bottomportions of said arms being in a common plane and adapted to restflatwise on the aforementioned floor when in use, a socket memberprovided with fastening means, the socket portion thereof being adaptedto receive and support a cooperating lower end portion of the treestrunk, and means integrally joining said socket member to a medianportion of the bight portion of said base, said means comprising anL-shaped bracket having a relatively short vertical limb, and a longerhorizontal limb, said vertical limb functioning to support saidhorizontal limb in elevated parallelism above and midway between theaforementioned arms, said horizontal limb being of a lengthsignificantly less than the length of the aforementioned arms.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 and wherein said bight portioncomprises an angle member, said arms constituting invertedchannel-shaped members, like end portions of said channel-shaped membersabutting and being rigidly joined to respective end portions of thevertical flange of said angle member.

3. A portable knockdown stand for supporting a Christmas tree or thelike comprising: a pair of coplanar elongated spaced parallel invertedchannel members, an angle member cooperable with the channel members anddisposed at right angles thereto and having end portions of a verticalflange thereof fixedly joined to like ends of said channel members andcooperating with the angle member and defining a rigid portableself-standing base unit, and a complemental L-shaped bracket unitprovided with a tree holder and detachably connectible with a medianportion of said angle member by way of a pair of complemental spacedparallel cleats fixedly joined to a median portion of the verticalflange of said angle member and cooperating therewith in providing areceiver and retainer for the cooperating part of said bracket, saidvertical flange being provided with bolt and nut means cooperable withsaid cleats and functioning to facilitate attachment of the bracket tosaid angle member.

4. A portable knockdown Christmas tree holder comprising: a portablerigid base unit substantially U-shaped in plan and embodying anelongated rigid horizontal angle iron having horizontal and verticalflanges, the horizontal flange being directed outwardly and the verticalflange rising perpendicularly therefrom and having an intermediateportion of the exterior side provided with a pair of coacting assemblingcleats, and bolt and nut means carried by the vertical flange andlocated between the respective cleats, said base unit also embodying apair of duplicate elongated coplanar spaced parallel arms having likeends attached to cooperating respective end portions of said verticalflange and rendering said unit self-standing when in use, a readilyattachable and detachable substantially L-shaped bracket unit embodyinga vertical channel member having a lower end thereof situated and boltedbetween and cooperating with said cleats, a horizontal channel member ina plane above and parallel to and situated in the space between the armsof said base unit, an outward end thereof being joined to the upper endof said vertical channel member and rigidified by attached cooperatinggusset-like webs, said horizontal channel member being of a length lessthan the aforementioned arms and having a free end portion which isprovided with an upstanding socket member the socket of whichconstitutes a receiver and holder for the lower end portion of the trunkof the aforementioned Christmas tree, said socketlike member beingprovided with trunk securing members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 725,458 4/03 Levy248158 2,516,802 7/50 Richards et a1. 248-44 2,986,284 5/61 Colbert211134 3,034,754 5/62 Trindl 248-158 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

1. A PORTABLE KNOCKDOWN STAND ADAPTED TO SUPPORT THE TRUNK OF ACHRISTMAS TREE IN A POSITION ELEVATED VERTICALLY ABOVE THE PLANE OF AFLOOR OR EQUIVALENT STATIONARY FOUNDATION COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, APORTABLE HORIZONTALLY ELONGATED SELF-STANDING BASE UNIT SUBSTANTIALLYU-SHAPED IN PLAN AND EMBODYING A BIGHT PORTION CONNECTING A PAIR OFSPACED PARALLEL DUPLICATE ELONGATED ARMS, SAID BIGHT PORTION AND BOTTOMPORTIONS OF SAID ARMS BEING IN A COMMON PLANE AND ADAPTED TO RESTFLATWISE ON THE AFOREMENTIONED FLOOR WHEN IN USE, A SOCKET MEMBERPROVIDED WITH FASTENING MEANS, THE SOCKET PORTION THEREOF BEING ADAPTEDTO RECEIVE AND SUPPORT A COOPERATING LOWER END PORTION OF THE TREE''STRUNK, AND MEANS INTEGRALLY JOINING SAID SOCKET MEMBER TO A MEMDIANPORTION OF THE BIGHT PORTION OF SAID BASE, SAID MEANS COMPRISING ANL-SHAPED BRACKET HAVING A RELATIVELY SHORT VERTICAL LIMB, AND A LONGERHORIZONTAL LIMB, SAID VERTICAL LIMB FUNCTIONING TO SUPPORT SAIDHORIZONTAL LIMB IN ELEVATED PARALLELISM ABOVE AND MIDWAY BETWEEN THEAFOREMENTIONED ARMS, SAID HORIZONTAL LIMB BEING OF A LENGTHSIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THE LENGTH OF THE AFOREMENTIONED ARMS.